Rhine House (The Former Drewell house)

One of the most memorable houses I visited in Kitano was the Rhine House, a beautifully preserved example of Kobe’s historic *ijinkan*—the Western-style residences built for foreign residents during the city’s early international period. The Rhine House, constructed in 1915 by J.R. Drewell, stands as a flagship of this unique architectural heritage and offers a fascinating glimpse into the cosmopolitan spirit that shaped Kobe.

This two-story wooden home immediately stands out with its elegant clapboard siding, painted in oil-based hues that give it a refined, timeless appeal. The architecture features a south-facing balcony, bay windows on both the east and west sides, and louvered doors and windows—all classic elements of early 20th-century Western design adapted for the Japanese climate[3][4]. The cornice detailing and the overall symmetry of the façade add to its stately presence on the quiet, leafy streets of Kitano.

The name "Rhine House" was chosen for two reasons: the last foreign resident was German, and the house’s exterior siding, with its straight lines, echoes the pronunciation of "Rhine" and "line" in Japanese. Inside, the first floor houses a welcoming lounge, an exhibition room, and a souvenir shop, while the second floor features displays about the history of the Rhine House, the Kitano *ijinkan* district, and the impact of the 1995 Kobe earthquake. After suffering damage in the earthquake, the house was meticulously dismantled, reinforced, and reassembled with modern earthquake-resistant upgrades, reopening to the public in 2019.

Wandering through the rooms, I could sense the blend of Western and Japanese craftsmanship—high ceilings for summer comfort, spacious parlors and dining rooms on the ground floor, and private quarters upstairs. The house’s preservation as a public information center and museum ensures that visitors can appreciate not only its architectural beauty but also the broader story of Kobe’s international community and resilience through histor